Ostomy surgery is found necessary for many people. There are two kinds of ostomy surgery related to the device of this invention: colostomy (partial removal of the large intestine) and ileostomy (removal of the entire large intestine). After each type of surgery is performed, some type of artificial appliance must be worn by the patient. Most of such appliances comprise a pouch of a plastics material, the pouch having a receiver passage portion adhesively attached to an abdominal portion of the body immediately encompassing an opening in the body to receive waste materials from the abdominal portion.
The waste materials include solids and semi-liquids. Also intestinal gases flow into the pouch. If means are not provided to vent the gases from the pouch, a ballooning action occurs in the pouch. Such ballooning is, of course, objectionable with regard to the comfort and appearance of the patient. There have been numerous attempts to construct a satisfactory gas venting device which may remove odors from the gases flowing into the pouch. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,555,086, 3,952,727, 4,203,445, and 4,318,406 relate to means for venting gases from an ostomy appliance.
Known vent devices for ostomy appliances have two major limitations: they readily clog and prevent passage of gases from the appliance and/or they are designed specifically for a particular appliance and cannot be used with other appliances.
Most ostomy appliance pouches are not readily cleanable and/or serviceable.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a gas vent device for ostomy appliances which device is readily mountable upon any plastics pouch type of ostomy appliance, does not readily clog, is cleanable and reusable, while providing a high degree of reliability against leakage, odor, and spotting.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a gas vent device through which fluid can be easily introduced into the pouch for cleaning and for deodorization of the pouch.
Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the construction of parts, the combinations thereof, the method of production, and the mode of use, as will become more apparent from the following description.